Man dies after being punched

Monday

Jan 13, 2014 at 2:46 PMJan 13, 2014 at 7:34 PM

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — A Worcester man accused of punching another man outside a Providence Street home Friday night was arraigned on a manslaughter charge in Central District Court today. The victim succumbed to the injury early this morning.

Duamel Ocasio, 42, of 44 Orne St., Apt. 2 was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, scheduled for Jan. 21. A not-guilty plea was entered in the case.

On Friday evening, a few hours after detectives were called to an unrelated shooting death at the Albion rooming house on Main Street, police were dispatched to a Providence Street apartment on a report of a fight.

At 64 Providence St., officers found 51-year-old Saveng Vilayvanh unconscious with a head injury, according to police.

Mr. Vilayvanh, who lives on Providence Street, was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus, where he was placed on a ventilator. Police said Mr. Vilayvanh was pronounced dead at 7 this morning.

"Investigators at the scene were informed that prior to the fight the victim was arguing with an elderly female neighbor who resides on the first floor," police said in a news release. "The victim resides on the second floor of the same apartment building. During the argument, three friends of the elderly woman's family arrived and engaged in a verbal argument with the victim."

Mr. Ocasio is accused of punching Mr. Vilayvanh in the face, causing the man to fall backward, hitting the back of his head on the concrete sidewalk. Witnesses identified Mr. Ocasio as the attacker, according to court records.

Police found Mr. Ocasio Saturday afternoon and arrested him on assault charges. The manslaughter charge was added after the victim's death.

Besides manslaughter, Mr. Ocasio was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery.